Implementation of a HACCP management plan in a marinated fish processing unit

Abstract

Fish is considered a valuable food product, due to its content rich in lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and especially in omega 3, which has a digestibility coefficient of about 97%. Nutritionists believe this type of meat should not be missing from the consumer’s daily diet, especially for children and the elderly, as it constitutes a third and a half of the daily protein requirement. Consumers prefer eating fish meat instead of other types of meat. Nowadays, fresh fish is preferred, followed by frozen fish, and then fish products are preserved by salting and smoking. To obtain marinated fish, frozen fish is used, especially mackerel. The purpose of this work is to identify and monitor the critical points in the technological flow in a fish processing unit and to identify pathogens with the potential risk that can affect the final product, implicitly the health of the consumer (E.coli, L.monocytogenes, Salmonella, Staphylococci, coagulase-positive, Anisakis). Implementing a HACCP plan in the units obtaining fish products has proven to be beneficial, both for the economic operator and the final consumers (4,5). By applying this food safety system, the consumer’s trust in products in this category increases, considering the fact that fish is a perishable product with a risk of contamination during the technological flow, regardless of the way it is marketed.